KNBS Reports Spike in Mobile Calls and Data Usage as Mobile Money Transactions Decline

Internet usage and mobile voice traffic in Kenya rose sharply in the second quarter of 2025, according to new data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).

The information and communication sector recorded a 6.0 percent growth between April and June 2025, slightly down from 6.7 percent in the same period last year. However, cumulative growth for the sector reached 12.7 per cent, driven by increased mobile phone usage and rising data consumption. 

Domestic mobile voice minutes rose to 29.2 billion, a 17.3 percent year-on-year increase, while international call volumes grew by 24.3 percent to 367.5 million minutes. Mobile broadband usage also continued to expand, with data consumption rising by 38.4 per cent to 620.2 million gigabytes. 

The surge indicates broader access to internet services and growing use of digital platforms, likely supported by streaming services, online shopping, and remote work. Despite the overall growth in digital activity, the value of mobile money transactions declined slightly, falling by 1.4 per cent to Ksh2.08 trillion. 

This may point to shifting consumer preferences or the adoption of alternative digital payment methods. Gender disparities in internet usage remain evident, as shown in the 2023/24 Kenya Household Survey. Men reported higher internet use across all age groups, with the largest gap observed among individuals aged 25 to 34. 

In this group, 64 percent of men used the internet compared to 54.5 percent of women. This age bracket also recorded the highest overall internet penetration at 59.3 percent. Kenya’s broader economy grew by 5.0 per cent in the second quarter of 2025, up from 4.6 per cent in the same period last year. 

Key drivers of this growth included agriculture, forestry and fishing (4.4 per cent), transportation and storage (5.4 percent), and financial and insurance services (6.6 per cent). Sectors that had previously contracted showed significant recovery, with construction growing by 5.7 per cent and mining increasing by 15.3 percent.

Utilities also improved, with electricity and water supply activities expanding by 5.7 per cent, up from 1.2 percent in the second quarter of 2024, signalling more stable infrastructure performance.